For the next three weeks, Mi Nyu and Shin Woo made use of the time writing and composing songs for their first album. They were so busy that Mi Nyu rarely talked to her Oppa, and Shin Woo rarely saw the Mars guys. When it comes to music, Mi Nyu is a fast learner. They spent almost eighteen hours together each day, you would think that they soon begin to look alike.

*****

That night, Shin Woo parked his car and went out with Mi Nyu. As they went inside, they noticed the sound of the dogs, so they went to the veranda.

"Hyungnim said that Jeremy plans to sell Jolie's puppies once they are weaned," Mi Nyu explained. "Poor Jolie will miss her children."

Shin Woo mused at her explanation.

"And, her puppies are all male puppies. Jeremy said that he had given names to them."

"Like what?"

"See, the brown one is Mi Nam. The black one is Tae Kyung, and the white one is..."

"Me."

Mi Nyu looked at him in wonder. "Wow! How did you know?"

"Elementary. Jeremy would never name his dog after himself," Shin Woo explained. "It's kinda predictable when you told me the name of the puppies."

Mi Nyu smiled at him. "I really adore Shin Woo-hyung's brains. Too bad I am so dim-witted."

"No, you're not," Shin Woo said.

"Prove it," Mi Nyu challenged him.

"There is no need for that," the brunette said.

"There is," the pig rabbit answered. "If you ruffle my hair, you will transfer all your wisdom to me."

Shin Woo smiled. "I said there is no need for that. Logically, that won't do. Let's sleep."

As he turned his back, she replied sadly. "I just miss you disarranging my hair."

He turned to her and smile. "Mianhae, Mi Nyu. Hyung will not do it anymore. Please understand."

Mi Nyu cried in front of him, as she really could not contain her feelings any longer.

"Why are you doing this to me, Shin Woo-hyung?" Mi Nyu sobbed.

The brunette went to her and inched closer to her face. "Mwo?"

"You hurt me so much. I don't understand why you are being so distant and cold to me."

"Well, for one, I am still the good hyung you wanted me to be. Second, we are friends, right? So why would I hurt you?

"But..."

She found it hard to explain.

"Have you really changed?"

Shin Woo nodded. "Yes. I gave you up, remember? There is no point on holding on to something that will never be mine. So all I could give you now is friendship."

As Mi Nyu cried, he pulled her to an embrace.

"Mianhae....sorry for making you cry," Shin Woo whispered.

He pushed her gently and examined her face. He rubbed his hand to her cheeks, and she looked at him, begging for love.

"Mi Nyu, I love you...."

"Shin Woo-hyung," Mi Nyu gasped.

Her heart skipped a beat. This is really it! Shin Woo will love her again just as he did almost two years ago. He will finally throw away all his lies and "friendship" excuses. He loves her again, she thought. She felt so happy that she lit up a smile.

"Shin Woo-hyung, I..."

"...But only as a friend."

Her smile turned upside down. Tears became waterfalls.

"But know that you are still precious and special to me. Please stop crying now."

More tears shed from her eyes. Karma came down to her. Now, it is her begging for his love, while he can only love her as a friend in return.

"Shin Woo-hy...."

And she sobbed even more. A look of pain was etched in the guitarist's eyes, and told her softly to stop crying. As he pulled her again for a hug, Mi Nyu snatched a kiss on his cheeks.

"Mi Nyu..." he said, startled. He never expected her to be this unpredictable.

He witnessed how she tried so hard to show her love for Tae Kyung in the past with the use of sublimation, but it was always Tae Kyung who made the first move. This was not the demure Mi Nyu that he knew. Mi Nyu, meanwhile, realized her mistake and bowed.

"Joesonghamnida, joesonghamnida...." she tried to speak, but choked in her tears.

Shin Woo felt his cheeks, the part where Mi Nyu kissed, and found it warm. Was he blushing? As for Mi Nyu, she felt so humiliated to take the first step that she ran to her room, leaving Shin Woo baffled and bewildered.

*****

Inside the room, as Mi Nyu felt her lips, she found herself totally embarrassed.

"Shin Woo-hyung will really  be angry at me tomorrow," she said in tears. "Mother Superior, eotteokhaji?"

****

The next morning, Mi Nyu did not see Shin Woo at breakfast, so Mi Nam asked her.

"Did something happen between you two? Coz he just left early after his morning tea."

Mi Nyu shook her head sadly. For her, kissing her hyung was violation of human rights. Tae Kyung conked her head with the daily and told her to eat up her breakfast fast.

"You will start recording your songs by this week, so do not just sit there looking at your food," he said.

Mi Nyu looked at him. "Hyungnim..."

"And a Pig Rabbit should be polite to the one who prepares the food."

Per Hyungnim's order, Mi Nyu said to her aunt, who passed by holding a plate of rice.

"Jal meokkesseumnida..."

*****

She hastened her pace to the studio room, where she found Shin Woo playing with his guitar. She greeted him politely and came inside.

"Joesonghamnida," she humbly apologized.

Shin Woo smiled at her and instructed her to sit beside him.

"Are...are you angry at me?" she asked.

"Ani... I was just surprised that you kissed me last night. I figured out your feelings for me might be real."

"They...they are real, hyung..."

"Since you asked for my forgiveness, I readily give it to you."

Mi Nyu smiled at him for being so forgiving. She thought that it was easier to gain his forgiveness than to earn Tae Kyung's. However, she thought that she should not abuse Shin Woo's kindness, or else, she would end up hurting him again and again and again and....

****

That night, the two of them came home earlier, as they were done with the fourteen songs which they needed to record tomorrow. Mi Nyu was happy, as she was able to eat with the others again.

"You are so cruel, hyung," Jeremy said to Shin Woo spitefully. "I could only eat breakfast with her, and you steal her for the rest of the day."

"What can I do?" Shin Woo . "We are partners."

While Shin Woo and Jeremy were washing the dishes, the twins had a chat up the balcony.

"You seem so tired. Gwaenchanha?" Mi Nam asked.

"Ye. Shin Woo-hyung is stricter than Hyungnim in musical arrangements. He would not give up until he had perfected his chords."

"I can see that. Mars garnered awards and became famous overnight. I won't wonder if Zephyr's Kiss' first album is gonna be a sleep-killer."

"Mworaguyo?"

Mi Nam explained to his sister what he meant.

"Are you all right with Shin Woo? I seem to sense something awkward between you two."

"Uh...anio, Oppa...uh...ye..."

"You are so bad in lying, so bad that I can really tell."

"Joesonghamnida, Oppa."

"It must be hard on you two to be paired. You rejected Shin Woo, and he did his best to move on. You broke up with Tae Kyung, and here you are, trying your best to be kinder to the other guy you rejected. I guess Shin Woo will really find it hard to get over you."

"But he said he got over me...."

"Jeongmalyo?"

"Ye, Oppa."

The oppa patted his sister's hair. "My cute sister is all grown up. Falling in and out of love, and being loved by three different guys."

Mi Nyu smiled sadly when her brother said that. She only had a heart, so of course, she could only love one guy.

"Mi Nyu, just be careful not to assist Shin Woo too closely when he does things or when he walks."

"Ye, Oppa. He doesn't want to be helped."

While looking at Jolie, she continued. "It must have been hard on him to fall down that flight of stairs."

Mi Nam looked at her weirdly. "Aw, yes, it was horrible. But he is a strong person, and he was able to stand up strong and firm."

He pinched his sister's cheeks...Awww...the bond of twins....

Mi Nam's POV

I wonder why both of you got paired up. Must be destiny...serendipity...maybe Shin Woo is your soulmate.

*****

That night, Mi Nyu and Shin Woo continued polishing the songs in his room when they realized that it was time for bed. He told her to leave the sheets on his table.

"Shin Woo-hyung, can I sing you a lullaby?"

He looked at her curiously. "Wae?"

"I want to share to you a song which Mother Superior sang to me when I was still a little girl," she said with a smile.

"I miss my Eomma's lullaby too," Shin Woo reminisced. "Ya, let's do our night rituals first, then come back here."

Mi Nyu did as told.

******

Shin Woo was in bed when Mi Nyu came in. She sat down at the head of his bed and gave him a smile.

"Shin Woo hyung, I just have one question," she asked.

"Jeoge mwoya (what's that)?"

"Did you...have any regrets in your life?"

Shin Woo eyed her curiously. "Regrets? Well...If there is one thing, I'd keep it to myself. Wae?"

Mi Nyu asked, "Did you regret saying you love me?"

"Which love? The first or the second?"

"Huh?"

"My first love for you, the one which I professed to you before I let go in Japan. The second, my current friendly love for you."

Mi Nyu was taken aback and got disappointed having to choose between the two. "Uh...the first...love."

Shin Woo smiled. "I did not regret it. I told Tae Kyung I loved you so much and went far to even let you go. I know I did what I can, so there is nothing to regret. I feel blessed to even have loved you, and for me, that was a great memory that I will look back for the rest of my life."

Mi Nyu shed a tear. "Joesonghamnida, hyung..."

He reached out a hand to her face and wiped her face.

"Why are you crying? You started it," he .

Mi Nyu shed tears some more and asked again. "Sorry for being rude, but this is my last question for tonight. Has Shin Woo-hyung ever cried in his entire life?"

He laughed a bit before answering. "Ya, have I never cried? Did I not cry when I was still a baby?"

Mi Nyu laughed despite the tears and sat up straight. "I'll start singing, Shin Woo-hyung, so please close your eyes."

Shin Woo did as told. He pulled the blanket up so his lips are covered. Mi Nyu started singing just like the way Mother Superior taught her how to sing. The song was very, very long, so she really sang it to the last note. After a song, she looked at the sleeping guy in front of her. She looked at his hair, his eyelashes... His sleeping figure was so peaceful. She saw the temptation to pull the blanket, and tried to resist it. But she felt she could not resist any longer, so she silently pulled the blanket. She saw how fair and soft and pink his lips looked, so good that she wanted to taste him. If only he could give her his lips to cherish forever. If only he would love her again, she could taste his sweet kiss. She shed some tears looking at the handsome face in front of her, knowing that she could not have him back. She bent down and gave him a soft and sweet kiss on his forehead. She even ran her fingers through his hair, cherishing the stolen moment, cherishing the man who would never be hers. She kissed his forehead again, letting tears touch his skin.

"I love you, Shin Woo-hyung....I love you so much..." she thought, giving him a mental note. "Please love me again."

She could no longer contain her emotions that she stood up, turned off the lights and went out of the room.